


ASMR

by LouAndI_Larry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: ASMR, Feminine Harry, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Protective Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 17:44:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8762785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouAndI_Larry/pseuds/LouAndI_Larry
Summary: Harry has a terrible anxiety and Louis solitudes his fears in the pleasant art of ASMR[ASMR, for those of you who don't know, is a tingly reaction you feel from various sounds and movements meant to relieve you from anxiety and help you sleep. Google it for more information]





	

**Author's Note:**

> Before the actual story can begin, I'm curious as to whether or not you've heard of this phenomenon called ASMR.
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> To summarize the complicated definition, it stands for Autonomous sensory meridian response, and it basically soothes your body and produces 'tingles' in whatever area suits your body's interest.
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> For example, have you ever gotten your hair brushed or combed and felt the need to sleep? Or even seen another person getting their hair combed or played with and it made you sleepy. This is an ASMR trigger.
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> It's pleasant and relaxing to experience and it varies in different areas that may trigger you. For instance, hearing another person whisper to you and it soothed you, or the tapping/scratching of a book helped relax you, or even listening to popcorn pop. The key of it is relaxation, as it is a form of therapy for the brain.
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> If maybe you've experienced anxiety, or maybe you feel a bit restless at night, you may want to look into this. It certainly helps me when I can't sleep to see (youtube search whisper ASMR) I'm knocked out.
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> Now some people may not experience this tingly sensation so it might seem foreign to you as to what the big deal is, but if you do feel it, then bam you're hooked! It really works wonders for those who can't sleep at night, I promise you.
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> As weird as it may sound, don't let that discourage you from at least listening to it and giving it a try. Especially if you're an insomniac like I use to be. Search for it on Youtube and millions of videos pop up for millions of people to enjoy, which millions do!
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> Now this story will revolve around these symptoms that I've mentioned with to Harry Styles, a high school student who takes a liking to an ASMR-ist named Louis Tomlinson by mistake. He finds it embarrassing to enjoy something so weird, but Louis reassures him just how natural it is. I hope you actually like this phenomenon so the story can be that much more pleasant to read.
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> Now if you don't like it, please be more sentimental for those that do, like me. Hope you enjoy!!!

Harry was a well-rounded individual with a steady high school GPA to maintain and a small group of friends, not that he hung around them much outside of school. He was a simple boy with simple tastes.

Harry never considered there was a psychological problem with himself. He was a typical quiet school boy who had a distaste for anything loud or violent. But it wasn't until Harry's 17th birthday rolled around, midterm season to be exact, that Harry realized just how much loud noises bothered him.

The boys around his neighborhood had gotten their hands on fireworks. A harmless activity with lighting the match attached to it and reclining back to watch. However, as Harry returned home from school, walking down the quiet neighborhood to see flashes of blue and red take flight into the darkened sky, to hear the echoing booms of thunderous clapping penetrate his eardrum to the point where he screams. Sadly his screams went unheard from the loud noise and Harry was much too afraid to remove himself from the area.

He doesn't remember blacking out.

That was only the beginning for the small fellow, dealing with this new burden right along with the one of being a diagnosed insomniac. Been that way ever since he was little. Now he even had this sudden fear of louder noises.

After much begging, Harry's father took him to the doctor to confirm this, but Harry was already seventeen so there wasn't much they could do to protect a young man from something out of their control.

Harry maintained such good grades because all he did was study 24/7. The pills he'd taken made him sleep, but gave him a headache that he'd needed more pills to get rid of. It just wasn't worth it.

He lived in a constant void of thin walls boxing him- smothering him in, and he wasn't sure how to handle it. He wasn't much of a fighter and when things happened, he'd accept it. Always very accepting.

So when the fire alarm was pulled, the siren at a close proximity to his ears, Harry accepted that this would be his end. His lungs refused to intake air and his eyes watered to the point where he couldn't see. Three girls instantly came running over and one of them attempted to call an ambulance while the other two calmed him down so he could breathe.

"Out of me way, watch out he needs room to breathe."

Harry can't identify the voice as anything less than angelic, so he's sure his time has passed and he's in heaven. A hand is pressed gently into his back to level him and keep him propped for more oxygen. Maybe he didn't die.

"There we go love. Nice and easy. You're alright now babe." The ocean blue of his eyes are what calmed Harry most. The calmest blue roping the boy back down to Earth.

His voice relaxed Harry to full coherency and he almost falls asleep when small fingers curl into the nape of his neck and scratch at his curls. There's magic in those fingers, Harry assumes. This is how he falls asleep and ends up at the nurses office.

The nurse explains to him how he had a panic attack and Harry blushes out of embarrassment. "Your mother is on her way to get you and take you home."

It's a tiring ordeal that Harry doesn't feel he's up for, because all his mother does is give him soup and some days off from school. She's completely oblivious to Harry and he isn't so sure she really cares all that much, nor does she understand the severity of Harry's condition. Everything terrified him to the point where Harry didn't even want to leave the house. This was all so new and scary to him and he had no one to comfort him in his darkest hours.

It got to the point where Harry began to have a slight depression and rarely enjoyed coming to school.

"Mr. Styles are you unwell?" his math teacher asked him one morning.

"I'm fine Mrs. Caigal. Just a bit distracted," he tells her when she calls him out in front of the class gently.

"If you want to lay your head down and rest, I understand." The class murmurs their anger that Harry got special privileges that no one else did.

Harry unwillingly agrees, placing his head down onto the cool desk to have an attempt at sleeping while he could. The sun shone right in his eye at this angle, so he turned his head away from it to focus on two girls. One of them now had her eyes trained on the teacher while the other's eyes were trained on the back of the other girl's hair, gently running the digits through the strands with delicacy.

He finds himself feeling a tingle in the front of his throat, but not much of a tingly tingle much less a soothing one. She runs three fingers, Harry counted, through the top of her head to the base of her neck in a soft caress that makes Harry's eyelids begin to droop. He hasn't felt this tired in a while and before he knows it he's out like a light.

When he's shaken some time later by Mrs. Caigal, he's sure he hasn't felt this great in a long time after finally getting in a decent nap. Whatever magical affect had occurred while watching that girl play in her friend's hair, he'd like that to happen more often, please.

z-z-z-z-z-z  
Later that night Harry, out of curiousity, searches through Youtube videos in hopes of finding a video or two of what he'd seen earlier today in class, especially with the heat on studying for his calculus exams.

 

He'd studied as much as he could hours ago, and the clock flashes 2am before his tired eyes. Harry did his normal routine of warm milk and pills (half of one) but it was going to be that much harder since he'd already napped earlier.

 

He stumbles upon thousands of results comprised of videos where women have their hair scratched and played with, and there was even an added whisper from the women performing the combing act that made Harry's head feel all tingly.

 

"Wow, this is beyond weird," he whispers to himself cozy under his blankets. "And yet, I'm so sleepy now. How strange."

 

This is how he falls asleep that night and when his mother comes to wake him up for school the next morning, she's never seen him more peaceful, so she let's him sleep for as long as he pleases.

 

Harry uses this technique for a week straight and it has worked wonders for his eyes and his headaches. He finds himself exploring new forms of this strange method of sleeping making it harder to shy away from it. He now finds himself at peace with tapping on tables, the plucking of the hairbrush bristles, massage visuals and much more. He even lets the videos play out with his earbuds in at school.

 

But...one youtuber in particular makes the hairs on his neck stand up and manages to make his heart race. Their username is simply L.Tingles and Harry may or may not have a crush on him, despite not knowing what he looks like. All he knows is that the man had thin pink lips. His methods are a bit more unoriginal than most people like, but Harry loves it. The man, or teen, answers questions from the previous videos comments in a whisper, so soft and soothing as though his voice was built for this profession, and he also types on the keyboard for added affect from time to time. Harry wishes to see his face one day.

 

He receives an unexpected note on his locker one day from a secret admirer, which astounds him because who would ever want someone as sheepish as Harry Styles.

 

Hello beautiful,

 

Just checking to make sure you're well now. Gave me a bit of a scare when you had that panic attack the other day. Please refrain from doing so because I'd very much like to marry you one day if that's alright. Too much? Ah well. I can't help what I feel for you. But I'm not a stalker or anything like that. Just an admirer. Your admirer.

 

Stay strong, bub

-T

 

T? That doesn't narrow it down at all. Harry has been openly gay since freshman year and he had no idea anyone else in his year was gay. So who could it be?

z-z-z-z-z-z

Later that day, Harry has free period so he decides to watch the fit gym teacher give his lecture. With Harry's newer stamina from the lack of restless nights, it's much easier on him to get a wank in and tonight just might be that night.

 

There was a soccer game in the gym and Harry wanted to watch. It was packed, sadly, and Harry couldn't find a seat so he stood by the door in perfect view of the game. The noise bothered his ears a bit, but he didn't worry too much with the tingles still wrapping around his mind like a cobra. Still, the noise troubled him greatly after a bit.

 

He tried to get to the door, he truly did, but now there were jocks stood in front of it and they weren't friendly from the looks of it.

 

"Out of the way, fag." This gentleman was very big in comparison not that Harry minded him right now. The other one pushed him back further into the crowd and people began to snicker at him. His chest started to convulse.

 

"Aw look at the weirdo. Why don't you go somewhere and stop trying to fit in," another one scoffs at his indifference. Harry now had a problem breathing at all.

 

"Lads, give him some space," a voice called out from the ongoing game. The jock didn't like being told what to do and before Harry knew it, there was a loud brawl forming.

 

Everyone in the gym who was said to be involved had gotten a phone call home, so harry was no different.

 

At home, his parents were not happy at all.

 

"I told you we should discipline him more," his father raged. "Now he's getting into fights!"

 

"Joseph! This is not his fault that kids are so cruel. He only defended himself," she explained louder.

 

Joseph seethed, "He's been acting out lately being an attention seeker with this whole 'I have anxiety' mumbo-jumbo. He needs to man up and learn that he's too old for this, Barbara!"

 

Harry's lip quivered as the real battle began and all he could do was slip into his room before they could get any louder. His father confiscated his phone so now he was on his own. The yelling grew louder and more violent, as well as the ringing of his father's hatred of him stabbing his brain and shooing those special tingles away.

 

After sneaking out the back door, falling directly into a puddle, Harry makes a run for it to somewhere more quiet, not looking where he was going before running out into the street. The oncoming car barely had time to stop fast enough.

 

"Jesus Christ kid! You almost made me hit you!" the man yells stepping out of his car and slamming the door shut, bringing Harry further back into his shell. "Wait I know you."

 

Harry's a bit shaken up and he feels foolish in his bunny pajamas with tears staining his pale face. This was just a terrible day for him. Harry never wished to suffer this again.

 

"You're that boy that had the breakdown the other day, aren't cha?"

 

Harry's mouth forms an 'o' shape. "You- you know me?"

 

"Yeah, course. M Louis. Louis Tomlinson? I'm two grades higher than you." Louis gives him a warm smile and looks him over with a small frown. "You look like you've seen better days."

 

Harry nods and wraps his arms around his waist self-consciously. "My parents aren't sensitive to my anxiety," he reveals to him with tearful pupils and a messy nose. He feels so alone sometimes, and for some reason it felt better to tell Louis this even though they've just met. Oh well. What did he have to lose?

 

"S that right? M sorry, babe. It never feels right to have parents who just don't understand. That's part of the reason I moved out-"

 

A car horn blared, interrupting their bonding, and skeezed around them hastily.

 

"Say, I know we just met, but how's about you come over to my place and we can talk there." Harry looked at him accusingly. "I'm not gonna get in your pants or anything. Just wanna talk with you, I suppose." He can't help the blush that forms on his face at the joke, eyes trailing down to his thin, pink lips.

 

"What do you get out of that, exactly?" Harry wonders aloud.

 

"Someone to talk to, I suppose," Louis shrugs. "And I may have an answer to your problems if you're up for it. So tell me, Harry, are you up for it?"

 

Harry thinks for a minute, biting his lip and jumping at the clap of thunder, mind whizzing with thoughts of being alone during a thunderstorm.

 

"Yes. Yes I'm up for it."

 

Harry never notices that he never told Louis his name.

 

z-z-z-z-z-z

It doesn't end there. No no. It's just beginning. Harry can't function during his day without Louis playing in his hair. Harry's phone is given back to him and he isn't in trouble anymore, but who could go back to just YouTube when Louis Tomlinson works your body into extinction with just a single digit.

"You've got to keep still, love," Louis whispers for the 4th time. "If you keep nodding off on me like this, I won't be able to finish the last set of braids."

"M sorry. Just...where did you come from and how do you do what you do with your hands? It's driving me up a wall internally."

Louis is full on laughing as he reaches for the edge control, smoothing Harry's edges with it and brushing the grease between Harry's finished braids. "You've done nothing but compliment my hands for the past 3 weeks we've known each other. I'm sure you're quite good with those large hands of yours."

"You think I'd be good at doing what you do?"

"Really good."

When Louis' finished his cornrows and Harry is finished blushing, Harry is enveloped in Louis' arms like always. His parents don't know about Louis yet and he'd very much like to keep it that way.

The anger he feels for them is substantial considering all they've done is mock him for his anxiety, try to take him away from his only means of happiness. And aside from that, Harry wants their relationship to be something other than him coming to Louis' when he's stressed. Harry was sure Louis liked him. Who else cared enough to write that note for him?

"Ever have a full-body massage, Hazza?" It's an innocent question, but knowing Louis, he'd want to make things as sexually frustrating for Harry as possible.

"No. Of course not." Harry blushing mad. "I'm only 17."

"Baby that doesn't mean anything. I've been giving massages since I was like 15." His magical hands make their way to Harry's neck and the younger finds himself stiffening at the contact just as quickly as it began.

"Relax, babe. I think I can take care of you with a nice back massage if you're up for it." Louis' hands don't stop rubbing circles into the center of his neck, then they began to travel lower.

Harry moans, his demeanor relaxing when he hears the whispery tone of Louis' request. "Jesus, with hands like those I'm up for anything."

"Then go into the bathroom," his breath is tickling Harry's ear, tingles bursting from his throat, "and strip for me. I'll be ready in 5."

With all his willpower Harry does as requested, slow movements included so he doesn't ruin the atmosphere that feels almost intimate and intoxicating.

Harry is intoxicated with Louis. There's no doubt in his mind that this was a 2-way street.

"Coming anytime today Haz?" Louis calls out to him. Even that has Harry eager for more skin on skin contact.

When he finally comes back in nothing but a towel, Harry takes pride in Louis openly checking him out from head to toe. He sees that the older lad also set up a table for Harry to lay on.

"How long have you had this planned out, Louis?" Harry teases. Still, he waltzes over to the table and lays down onto it expectantly.

"Bout a few days now if I'm honest. I think someone of your caliber would really appreciate this." There are candles lit everywhere that smell like vanilla, and it almost makes Harry think he and Louis are about to go all the way.

How can Harry be so comfortable with Louis so soon? "Alright then, let's get to it."

It's all so new to Harry, but he's wanted something like this for a while now. He wanted to be pampered through this process of touching and vocal exchanges. It's like Louis knew what Harry found pleasurable.

When Harry would stop by after school to do homework and hang out, stressed and looking for some sort of small escape that would bring him back down to Earth for just a minute, he would suggest a nap first for him, requesting Harry to lay on the couch and watch an old film as Louis tapped on the counter and finish his homework. That was their routine, and he'd always help Harry with his work when he woke up.

Hands. Harry wants Louis' hands. He wants them to work into the knots in his back and running over every goosebump covering his skin. And he gets it too. Harry can hardly keep his eyes open when Louis creeps up towards him with massage oil, wasting no time in beginning to work the digits skillfully into his shoulders.

"I've only just begun and you're already so responsive," Louis whispers. Harry feels this kid knows what his voice does to him. The effect Louis has on him in general is a pretty unfair disadvantage on Harry's part.

Harry moans a little. "Who sculpted you? God?"

It continues on like this, the little back and forth of Harry's incoherent responses to Louis' smug way of pleasing Harry's senses. All Harry can do is murmur and nod as Louis continues digging his fingers into every part of Harry's back.

"Say Harry," Louis breathes seducingly into the back of Harry's neck. "Did you know that the spine in our body was central in the aspect of our nervous system? It's quite fascinating, really, all the nerves connecting back to our spine." Louis's a little shit, is the last thing Harry hears when he finally gives up, nodding off.

z-z-z-z-z-z

His mother thinks Harry has been disconnected from the family for much too long to be considered healthy. So, naturally, another one of Harry's escapegoats is taken away from him. He's forced to stay at home when he's let out of school, and since he's a year under Louis, they hardly ever see each other. He's a nervous wreck constantly, panicking over when boys get rowdy with one another, or even the things he's become more accustomed to, like the sound of the school bell when he isn't paying attention.

Everything is a fucking safety hazard and Harry doesn't have anyone to turn to about it. If he went to the councilor, all the man would do is analyze him, maybe send him home, and he'd hear that same old line that he was just acting out for attention. In home economics, he can hardly pay attention, all thoughts focused on the worst case scenarios.

"Mr. Styles, I dismissed you a few minutes ago," his teacher tuts at him. "Are you OK, son? You look awfully pale and you seem off these days."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Dublin. Just typical teenage problems. Feels like no one understands me, phases of dying me hair and that. The norm."

"Well that's unfortunate sweetheart. I've been there before." She takes a minute to stare up at the ceiling, seemingly lost in the memory of her youth. "My teen years were awful. I had a crush on this foreign exchange student in my class. Her name was Estasia. I stayed up all night touching myself to her, and my friends and family never knew. I'll take that secret with me to my grave."

The tension in the air is so awkward when she meets Harry's stare again.

"Right...I'll just um....have a good weekend."

Once Harry brushes the confession of his teacher off of him, he's leaving the school and planning on going home to take refuge beneath his blankets and dozing to the sounds of crinkling paper. But he doesn't get that option, because he's being lifted off the ground and pressed into a strong chest, feet swept off the floor.

"Why have you been ignoring me, Hazzy? I've been ringing you for a bit now and I'm always worried when I don't hear your pretty little voice." Harry instinctively nuzzles into the person's neck as he's carried away to the boy's car. "

 

"My parents make me come home after I'm done with school. I wasn't doing it on purpose, boo."

It's enough of a confession to get Louis smiling. "How unfortunate. Have you at least been getting some shut eye?"

 

Harry rubs his eyes with a grimace. "Take a wild guess. I'm sure the bags under my eyes must give you some impression."

"Cranky," Louis laughs. He begins to walk towards his car and holds his head up high when he notices the looks people are giving them. He takes a cool disposition knowing that the whole school is aware that Harry belongs to him, and that he belongs to Harry.

Even though the two hadn't verbally made it official, Louis would like to think that they were together. They weren't dating yet, but that's only because Harry's schedule would never give him time to spend with Louis, and when the boy did have time, he was meant to go home.

Louis wants to show Harry the other side to him that Harry would never imagine he'd have. He wants to open up with him in the way that Harry opened up to him.

"Sorry, boo boo, I'm just exhausted. I thought after big tests teachers were suppose to give us a rest," Harry groans, face still smushed into Louis' neck, and he hears the car door opening before he's being placed inside. 

Louis takes the liberty in buckling his seatbelt for him and Harry just really wants to lean in and kiss this boy while Louis leans in to fasten him in.

"Well your parents are just going to have to be upset, because you're coming back to my place, like it or not."

Harry smiles, "No arguments here." And Louis shuts the door.

At Louis' place, Harry sees Louis has redecorated. Actually, the first thing Harry notices when he sets his bookbag down is that Louis has a giant white tarp in his living room, right in front of the windows. Louis stares at him hopefully and Harry just sighs.

"So this is how it ends,huh? This is how you kill me."

Louis rolls his eyes, "No Harold. This is how you live, because I have something I'd like you to know about."

Louis takes his hand and leads the boy to the couch. His button-down shirt is almost all the way unbuttoned and Harry can see the ink across his chest, as well as a few visible hairs. He blushes and curses his hormonal instinct.

"Hey, Curly, eyes up here!" Louis smirks.

"Then button up, you slut."

There's another moment of banter, then Louis buttons up and takes Harry by the hand. "Haz, I haven't exactly been 100% honest with you. I have a secret that no one else knows, and thanks to your help, I've been able to improve."

"What is it?" Harry asks, only mildly worried, but worried nonetheless.

"Well first, I wanted to ask you, are you aware that you have a strong taste in ASMR?"

The boy nods his head. "I don't know much about it, haven't done any research or anything, but I know that it's helped me out in the long run." He then looks deep into Louis' eyes, a vibrant color of the sea, and wonders if they could possibly be soul mates. This has to be destiny if this is going the way Harry hopes.

Louis sighs in relief, "I was afraid I'd have to try to explain it without being weird. Haz, I am an expert at ASMR, like it's my passion to pursue something in that field, and to see you enjoy it so much....it really makes what I do worth while. It's brought me, you. And you need to know what it is that I do."

"What are you saying, Lou?" he asks, blushing.

Louis intakes a short, paused breath before the next words come tumbling out. "I'm a Youtuber and I make ASMR videos."

z-z-z-z-z-z

Harry gasps. "No kidding? You actually have a Youtube channel?"

Louis shares a small smile with him, blushing as he reaches out to softly stroke at Harry's hair. "That's why I'm so good at doing your hair and playing in it to best suit your needs. I've had a lot of practice, fortunately."

Harry purrs instantly, slowly closing his eyes and turning so that he can fall back against Louis. "I can see that. I just never figured you to be into that type of stuff, and to do it on Youtube professionally? Now that's huge."

Harry fits into Louis' chest like always, and Louis wraps his other arm around the boy's waist to begin their normal routine of intimate hair scratching. Louis knows Harry should be home, and Harry didn't live far away, but in truth, he likes when Harry stays with him. Even though sometimes they barely talk, just touch each other as innocently as possible.

"You're such a great participant for me that, in a way, you helped me realize my true potential. I do normal ASMR videos with sound administrations and tapping, but now you've given me a new passion. Hair play."

Harry blindly reaches to place his hand over the arm of Louis' that's wrapped around his waist, thumbing over his skin softly. "I'm glad I could assist you in realizing your dream. I'm very proud of you for that." Harry sits up and looks him straight in the eye. "Like, very proud of you."

"Thanks, baby," Louis sighs, but he's now looking down at Harry's lips instead. "I don't think there's any other way to express my gratitude."

"I can think of a pair of ways to thank me," the boy smirks, and expectantly, he's leaning in.

"Me too."

Louis' lips met Harry's, a gentle mix of lips mashing, making Harry scream internally. After all these years of isolation and lonlieness, Harry has finally managed to gain a friend, and now, potentially, a boyfriend.

When Harry pulled away, he leaned in and pressed his forehead to Louis'. "Whoa. That was wonderful," he whispers, cheeks rogue.

"Don't tell me that was your first kiss, Curly." Harry nods his head. "You're serious? You are the definition of beauty and no one has noticed it? What is this world coming to?"

Harry pulls away completely. "Nonetheless, what does this mean for us? Not that I'm rushing to put a label on us or anything, because I'm sure I'm not the only one you've your eyes on. Just saying, if it isn't too much to ask for, I thought- I don't know- maybe best friends and we work our way up. We could date, I would be willing to take you out but I- I don't have a car, but I'm saving up for one. Hell, maybe I could give you gas money and pay for the food, even though I don't work. Actually, just, just forget I said anything. We can leave things the way they are. Or we could-"

"Bloody hell, Hazzy, I want you to be my boyfriend....I think." Louis giggles a little at Harry's expense. "I might reconsider now. Jesus..."

"I'm- I'm sorry. I've never done this before. I'm such an embarrassment." When Louis sees the sadness in Harry's eyes, he stops smiling.

"Hey, I didn't mean that. I was joking," he takes the boy's hand in his. "I want you to be all mine. I can't offer you much, but I can do my best to protect you and treat you as delicate as you need to. Like a flower, yeah? You're my little flower. I promise I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe. Starting with easing your tension of all the loud noises you hear. I'm going to do my best to make you feel like the world will never hurt you again," Louis tilts his chin upwards to kiss him again. "You've got me now."

Harry's eyes are glossy, and he nods his head. "OK Louis, I trust you."

"Thanks, babe. Now let's go do some role playing," he smirks.

"Excuse me, Danny. Just because you gave me a ring doesn't mean we're going all the way."

The older nods his head approvingly. "A Grease reference, I like it."

Proudly, Harry admits, "I saw your acting in our school play as Danny. I hadn't even seen the movie until your performance. It made me want to watch the real movie, and the acting wasn't nearly as good as yours."

"You flatter me, Styles. Even though you're a shit-faced liar, but I meant the role playing that I do in my videos. You know, in my Youtube videos." Oh yeah, Harry almost forgot about that. "Nothing too extravagant. Just maybe a hair salon session or massage therapist."

Harry gasps. "Sign me the fuck UP. Mhm mhm, good shit, good shit, that's some GOOD SHIT RIGHT THERE."

Louis starts cracking up, hand on his tummy as he slaps his knee. Harry just blushes being that he's the cause of Louis' genuine laughter to fly out. "You're so weird. I'm so happy to call you mine."

Harry and Louis were hungry, and they both wanted to eat before Louis showed him his Youtube account. Louis decided on steak-ums as something quick to make, and Harry sat and talked with him during. He sat on the counter and bantered with his new boyfriend about classes and the topic of Louis going to college soon was mentioned, which made Harry's heart sink a little. When Louis snuck a glance at him, he instantly smiled.

"Not to worry, love. I can't go to the fancy-schmancey schools anyhow. Community college would suit us both best."

"Well what about me? I don't plan on staying here in two years' time. I plan to study abroad in France and major in Early Education."

"That's two years away," Louis shrugs. "You may change your mind."

"Do you think we'll be together that long?" Harry asks twiddling his fingers nervously. Louis hums.

"I'd like to think so, yes. It's not like I can do any better than this." Harry coos loudly and hops off to kiss him again.

After Louis and Harry finish eating a pair of surprisingly delectable steaks, Louis pulls a chair up in front of the laptop for Harry beside his. Louis already has his channel up, and- Harry's lip visibly trembles. There's no way in hell Louis was the Youtuber that got him into ASMR. There was just no way.....

"Here it is, love. My name is L.Tingles. I only have maybe 300 subscribers, so I wouldn't be surprised if-"

"I've heard of you. You're the Youtuber that got me into ASMR, Louis."

He's the guy Harry always wanted to thank for giving him such an amazing experience. 

z-z-z-z-z-z

Louis dropped Harry off at his house, fairly late might he add. Harry didn't want to go back, but he had to face his parents sooner or later. It didn't feel right to him.

 

He kept his phone off for most of his stay with Louis, because he was having such a good time and he knows that once he looks at his phone, that will be ruined.

 

Louis looks at him with a sad smile. "You've got to face them sometime. Are you sure you don't need me to go inside and explain?"

 

The way Louis has his hand over Harry's with his thumb grazing the boy's knuckles, it's enough to make Harry want to tell Louis to floor it to Mexico where they can run away together, get married, adopt lots of babies and kittens, and live off the land. Unfortunately, he's too much of a chicken to ever do that, at least for right now.

 

Harry intakes a deep breath. "No. I knew the risks. I can handle it myself."

 

Louis kisses the knuckles and smiles up at Harry. "You're so brave, aren't you?" 

 

Harry feels his face flush. Why did Louis have to be such an ideal boyfriend? Everything about him was so nice and soft. He treated Harry so delicately, like he's too good for the world. How could such a human even exist?

 

"Maybe. I just have to suck it up, because waiting it out is only going to make it worse on me. My father isn't really a nice guy, and I'm not the son he wanted. I'm too wimpy for him, as he always tells me. I shouldn't be the way that I am."

 

"You're fine the way that you are. You're incredible the way that you are. I love everything about you." Louis kisses his cheek softly, making Harry touch the reddening skin. 

 

"Please stop being so lovely. It's only making my departure that much more difficult."

 

"Well, hey. If you ever need anything, your boyfriend is one phone call away. Or a text. I much prefer calling because I feel like with phone calls you can just say everything you want and be done with it. Emails are even more difficult because-"

 

Harry smiles and leans in to kiss his lips, just to shut him up. "I'm the rambler of this relationship. We don't need any more."

 

Louis smirks and taps his lips gently. "If it gets you to kiss me again, I'll talk all night long."

 

Harry unbuckles his seatbelt and takes a deep breath before he steps outside. "I'll see you later, Louis."

 

"Fare well my benevolent beauty," Louis calls out quietly, blowing lots of kisses in Harry's direction. Harry is still considering Mexico.

 

He takes another deep breath, saying that everything will be fine and that it's too late at night for his father to be loud. Harry really doesn't want to have a repeat of some weeks ago when he gasped for air.

 

As he unlocks the door and enters the house, it's quiet. Too quiet. Harry has never been more afraid of silence like he has now.

 

He walks into the dining room and drops his house keys, glancing at the kitchen to see if his mother had wrapped a plate for him since he missed dinner. There was nothing out for him.

 

He tip-toed up the steps, looking left and right for any sings of his parents. He didn't see them lurking around waiting to strike, so he figured they had gone to bed.

 

Breathing a sigh of relief, Harry snuck past their room into his own room. He dug into his pocket to text Louis that's it's OK to take off when he turns on his own lightswitch. He jumps back in surprise when he sees his father sitting on the bed.

 

"Dad! You- um...you scared me."

 

When his father stood, Harry instantly began to shrink back, suddenly feeling particularly miniscule to the raging beast before him.

 

"I scared you? Harry...it's almost 11 at night! Where the hell have you been?! Your mother was worried sick."

 

Words began to form in Harry's throat, but it just came out as an unintelligible sputter. He didn't have time to react to the hand grabbing on his hair.

 

"I said, where the hell were you?" the anger in his voice gave Harry the most unpleasant feeling he's ever felt. It scared him worst than the fireworks. The hand in his hair wasn't affectionate like Louis' was, either.

 

"Dad please! I was just with a friend! You're hurting me!"

 

His father growled and held on tighter. "I'm so sick of your whining, like a little faggot." The words stung like venom in Harry's ear. It reminded him of that bully from school. "And I'm sick of that fake anxiety shit. I barely did anything to you."

 

The boy began to feel tears in his eyes from his father's tight hold on the place of his body that gave him the best sensations.

 

"And I'm sick of your stupid long, girly hair. I'm going to take care of it right now."

 

Before Harry could even begin to fathom what his father meant by that, he was forced down and he heard the unmisteakable sound of scissors and he watched clumps of his own hair cascade past his vision in horror onto the floor.

 

Harry couldn't even scream, he felt like he could throw up as his father just kept going and going and cutting and cutting, until he finally had the energy to yell.

 

His mother came in soon after, tying her robe around herself in fear that someone had broken in. "Joseph!" she sounded appalled, "What are you doing?"

 

"He needs to grow up, Barbara. He needs to be a man."

 

Harry took that moment to break free of his father's hold and bolt out the door. He could hear his mother call after him, but he just kept running. He couldn't breathe, and he began to wheeze when he ran past their hallway mirror to find his hair short and uneven.

 

He ran outside, just to catch some air, and then he crashed into someone.

 

"Harry, there you are. You never texted back- what the hell happened to your hair?!"

 

The boy gasped out a breath, clinging to Louis and continuing to wheeze. Louis' eyes went wide as he saw Harry's eyes leak with tears.

 

"Breathe Harry, I'm here," he pat Harry's back softly, supporting his head. As he did so, he noticed there were remaining strands sticking to his hand, and when he took a good look at Harry's head, he noticed his hair was short. "Look at me, Harry. It's Louis, your boyfriend. Me, remember?"

 

As they made eye contact, Harry progressively caught his breath, Louis scratching what was left of his hair and whispering soothing thoughts to the boy. Harry sat up once he felt like he could, still clinging to Louis as the older boy carried him to his car.

 

He was strapped in, and Louis got in around the other side, making eye contact with someone looking through a window upstairs in Harry's house. He kept the contact until he plopped in his seat and sped away, Harry instantly reaching out to hold his hand.

 

Louis took off with his other hand on the wheel. From the corner of his eye, he was aware that Louis was staring at him.

 

"Are you OK, flower?"

 

Harry sniffled, holding his hand tighter.

 

"I'm better now, anyway."

 

"Who did this to you?" 

 

Silence endured for a brief moment, Harry pulling the sun visor down to look in the mirror at his unwanted hair cut. As expected, all of his gorgeous long locks were small and curly, and he felt like a stupid little boy all over again. His breathing began to pick up.

 

"Harry, don't look at that right now," he closed the mirror hastily to keep Harry from looking. "Stupid visor."

 

Harry tried not to let how bad his hair look faze him, which seemed so impossible when he thought back on it. "I look so ugly now," he cried.

 

"Harry, it's not that bad." The younger boy began to tear up at the uneven hairstyle he'd have to suffer for the next few months. How could his father do this to him? 

 

Louis tilted the boy's frowning face to look at him when they reached a stop sign. "For what it's worth, I think you're even cuter than you were before. Not to be a cradle robber or anything, but I've got a thing for younger guys."

 

Harry grinned briefly, blushing, until he thinks back on tonight's encounter. "My dad did this to me, and he said I looked like a...derogatory word for being gay."

 

Louis stopped the car, his hands turning candidly white around the wheel. "I should kill him."

 

"I'm fine, Louis, really," he explains.

 

"You could have died tonight! CVS is open, so we're going to get you something quick to somewhat ensure this won't happen again. You mean too much to me to lose."

 

The boy tried not to blush any harder hearing Louis express his feelings for him. "Did my hair really look girly?"

 

Louis smirks. "Of course. That's because you're my girl."

 

The younger one shoved him playfully, looking out the window afterwards. He hears Louis sigh beside him, reaching to caress Harry's hair blindly.

 

"Harry, I don't want you going back to that house, you hear me?"

z-z-z-z-z-z 

"You'll do fine, Haz," Louis says, resolutely. "This is my first time showing the camera my face, too, but I'm the one who has to do all the work. All you have to do is sit there and look pretty, so, you've already conquered the battle."

Harry bites his lip and blushes. "You can't expect to get away with everything just because you have a charming way with words."

"Oye, but my charm worked on you, didn't it?"

Harry holds his breath as he sees Louis turn the camera on. 

As soon as the red light flashes on, Harry instantly becomes nervous. He doesn't want to ruin the experience for the viewers, so he tries to relax his face into a calm aurora and closes his eyes to take the edge off.

"Good evening everyone. Welcome to my channel," whispers Louis after he fits himself in the camera, behind Harry, who's sat in the chair in front of him. He instantly brings his hands to Harry's head an begins to massage his scalp. Harry can hear him scratching his roots before he feels it happening. "I hope you're all having a wonderful evening. I've mentioned Harry before, and here he is. Isn't he lovely?"

Louis says it with so much fond that Harry can't help but open his eyes and blush with his smile. He gives a respectful nod to the camera, so not to ruin the setting, and closes his eyes again. The older boy just pokes Harry's dimples then he settles back on facing the camera.

"Now you may be shocked to see me doing a hair play video, and for good reason. I really love to tap for you guys. However, I thought I'd do something a bit different today, since my boyfriend was so eager for me to toy with his hair."

Harry huffs, eyes still closed, and makes a mental note to pluck him upside the head later.

"I told him the only way I'd do it is if he finally let me do it on camera for all my little Tingles out there watching my videos. So here he is. And he is doing a marvelous job at being my model so far."

The viewers don't like too much talking, so Louis goes silent for a few moments, just scratching every part of Harry's head and repeating the process. At one point, he stops to fetch a brush to pick at while he talks to his viewers once again.

"You've all been wondering what I look like, and I'm never one to break a promise, so...here I am," he chuckles beneath his whisper. "I'm 21 years old, Harry is almost 19. I plan on returning to community college in the fall. Harry, here is undecided about what he wants to do when he graduates high school in a few weeks."

The whispering combined with the feel of Louis' fingers in his hair has the boy sleepy. It also brings back old memories of when Louis first introduced him to ASMR. 

"He's lived with me for...I'd say a little over 2 years now? Yeah something like that I'd say, huh Haz?"

Harry hums in approval, confirming Louis' assumptions. 

"Right. 2 years of utter joy all because of this kitten right here. You can tell he's a kitten because he's actually purring right now."

Harry would retaliate like usual, because a witty response is always ready on the tip of his tongue, but his eyelids feel very droopy.

It grows quiet again, with Louis pinching the hair between his fingers and grabbing handfuls of the clumps to massage in his hand, creating the softest sounds most pleasing to ASMR viewers. Harry can feel his head bobbing, so he focuses on not embarrassing himself by falling out of the chair.

"It's important that we treat ourselves to moments like this. To practice a bit of self care. To make time to take care of yourself. Whether doing some relaxing yoga, or a nice warm bubble bath, whatever you feel. It's important to take time for yourself and to make time for yourself. Isn't that right, baby?"

Harry feels like Louis is getting distracted by him, so he pinches his knee as a silent warning. Louis stops looking at him like he's as beautiful as he is and finally puts all of his focus into what he's doing.

"Right, so I chose Harry as my first and only model because, though he doesn't like to admit it, my boy loves when his hair is played with. I personally love his hair." Harry feels Louis thrum through the locks as they flow back onto his head. "He considered keeping it short after a trim, but I was fully against it. I always admired his short hair, and he appreciated how much easier it was to maintain, but we both know his long hair is beautiful, so it looks as though he's keeping it this way. If not- well I don't think there'd be any future hairplay videos, would there?"

The video goes on for about another ten minutes, so Louis feels that's enough for today and waves the viewers away. Once the camera is off and Louis offers good gesture to Harry's modeling skills, he places the camera on his desk and asks Harry to remind him to edit the video later.

"I cannot believe you have that many subscribers! 2 million is so many to not even have showed your face."

"I have my ways," the older man smirks.

"I'm aware, and that what terrifies me about you."

Louis rounds the chair and kisses his now slightly taller boyfriend, "You'd get your way in life too if you used those dimples for evil instead of good."

As Harry backs away, he almost trips over Pooky, interrupting her daily hopping exercise around the house. "Oops, sorry mama."

"Hi there, bunny boo! Where are you off to this fine evening?" Louis quips, bending down to stare at the rabbit.

The rabbit wiggles her nose and uses her hind leg to scratch at her ear. Then, she's off to continue her mission.

Harry scrunches his own nose as he watches her hop away. "Need to get that one a bell."

"In any rate, have you and your father talked today?"

Harry nods his head. "Yup! He's taking mom out to dinner. He offered me money for the rent, but I declined. He needs to be stable financially for his physical therapy bills."

Even if Louis is still furious at that man, he can't help but pity him. After Joseph got into that head on collision and injured his legs, he hasn't been the same. The man did it when he was chasing after Harry. When Harry returned home to retrieve his things and move in with Louis, he went insane. Chasing Harry down by car wasn't the best idea, but he didn't want his son to leave.

He went through a state of depression, but now he's just as cheerful as ever, even if he could never walk again. Maybe he found the bright side to life, or he just had a change of heart from the experience, who knows? At least Harry and he are on better terms, and Barbara seems to be even more in love with her husband than before, now that he wasn't an asshole.

"He knows what he's doing, but I'm proud of you for looking after your old man."

"Mm, yeah aside from that, I could really go for a nap after that video. Maybe you could help me out?"

Louis contemplates the thought while his boyfriend pulls him to their shared bedroom. "I suppose I could be in the cuddling mood, however."

"However what?"

"My fingers are quite restless. For old times sake, why don't I give you that full body massage? It's been forever since you let me touch you, and I want some of that gravy."

"Boy."

A giggle ripples through Louis as he wraps his arms around his boyfriend. "Anything you want, you got it, my little muse."

"Not so little anymore," he argues back with a pout.

"Maybe so, but you're still my little bub. I love you."

"Love you too. I couldn't have gotten over my panic attacks without you."

They spend the rest of the afternoon exploring all their favorite triggers, cuddling, and silently thanking the power of ASMR that not only helped with Harry's insomnia, but also brought two soulmates together to stay with one another for the rest of their lives.

Would Harry recommend this method of relaxation to help with anxieties of sorts? Yes, a thousand times, yes. So for anyone who has ever had problems going to sleep at night, or maybe needed a method to help them calm down, ASMR definitely fits the bill.

Give it a try, it's only one youtube click away.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed my attempt at a fluffy fic involving one of my favorite things. I try very hard to make it enjoyable so if you didn't like it, I apologize!


End file.
